Table I.
Women’s demographic and social characteristics and psychological distress 8 months post-partum.
| Percentage with Ghq > 5 p-value from chi-square test | ||
|---|---|---|
| All (292) | 5.1 | |
| Age* | < 25 (11) | 9.1 |
| 25–29 (55) | 3.6 | |
| 30–34 (125) | 5.6 | |
| > 34 (100) | 5.0 | |
| NS | ||
| Nationality* | Italian (269) | 5.9 |
| Non-Italian (22) | 4.5 | |
| NS | ||
| Education* | ≤Middle school (79) | 5.1 |
| High school (135) | 5.9 | |
| ≥University (77) | 3.8 | |
| NS | ||
| Number of children* | 1 (164) | 4.8 |
| 2 or more (127) | 5.5 | |
| NS | ||
| Marital status | Married (239) | 4.6 |
| Never married (33) | 6.1 | |
| Separated/divorced (19) | 10.2 | |
| NS | ||
| Lives with a partner | Yes (283) | 5.2 |
| No (8) | 0 | |
| NS | ||
| Financial problems | No (257) | 3.5 |
| Yes (34) | 17.6 | |
| p = 0.004 | ||
| Baby hospitalised | No (260) | 3.8 |
| Yes (31) | 16.1 | |
| p = 0.03 | ||
| Frequent feelings of anxiety or depression before pregnancy* | No (251) | 2.8 |
| Yes (41) | 19.5 | |
| p < 0.001 | ||
| Women’s working situation | ||
| Working situation | At work (116) | 3.4 |
| Maternity leave (105) | 6.7 | |
| Unemployed (22) | 9.1 | |
| Homemaker (44) | 2.3 | |
| NS | ||
| Work: wishes and reality | At home, prefers to work (30) | 16.7 |
| At home, as preferred (73) | 0 | |
| At work, as preferred (124) | 2.4 | |
| At work, prefers to be at home (61) | 9.8 | |
| p < 0.001 | ||
| Work: wishes and reality (synthesis) | Dissatisfied (94) | 12.8 |
| Satisfied (197) | 1.5 | |
| p < 0.001 | ||
*
Asked in the first questionnaire.